Helical tomotherapy-based hypofractionated radiotherapy for prostate cancer: A report on the procedure, dosimetry and preliminary clinical outcome

Moderate hypofractionated helical tomotherapy for older patients with localized prostate cancer: long-term outcomes of a phase I-II trial

BACKGROUND

Our previous study showed that two different regimens of moderate hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) delivered with helical tomotherapy (HT) are well tolerated in older prostate cancer patients. We provide a longterm efficacy and toxicity after > 7 years of follow-up.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study recruited 33 patients from February 2009 to July 2011 (76 Gy/34F; Group-1); and 34 from July 2011 to February 2014 (71.6 Gy/28F; 50.4 Gy/25F for the risk of pelvic lymph nodes involvement (LNI) >15%; Group-2). The primary outcomes were biochemical failure (BF), biochemical failure and clinical disease failure (BCDF), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity.

RESULTS

The average ages of two groups were 80 and 77 years and the proportions of patients with LNI > 15% were 69.7% and 73.5%, respectively. At the final follow-up in February 2020, 27.3% and 20.6% cases experienced BF, with a median time until BF of 3.3 years. A total of 38.8% patients reached primary endpoints, in which 18 deaths were reported BCDF events (45.5% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.271). There was no significant difference in 7-year PFS (68.6% vs. 74.8%, p = 0.591), BCDF (45.5% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.271) and OS (71.9% vs. 87.5%, p = 0.376) for full set analysis and for subgroup analysis (all p > 0.05). The incidence of grade ≥ 2 late GU (6.2% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.127) and GI toxicities (9.4% vs. 15.6%, p = 0.554) was comparable.

CONCLUSIONS

In older patients with localized prostate cancer, two moderate hypofractionated regimens were all well tolerated with similar, mild late toxicities and satisfactory survival, without necessity of prophylactic pelvic node irradiation.

Early Results of Extreme Hypofractionation Using Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for High-risk, Very High-risk and Node-positive Prostate Cancer

AIMS

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer has shown encouraging results. However, its use in high-risk patients is limited due to lack of data regarding adequate radiotherapy dose, need for pelvic nodal treatment and androgen deprivation therapy. Herein we report our experience of SBRT in this subgroup.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Analysis of a prospectively maintained database of 68 consecutive patients of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) high-risk, very high-risk and node-positive adenocarcinoma prostate treated with SBRT was undertaken. All patients were treated with rotational intensity-modulated radiotherapy with daily image guidance. The dose delivered to the prostate and gross node was 35-37.5 Gy in 5 alternate day fractions. Node-positive patients received 25 Gy to pelvic nodal regions until the common iliac nodes. Treatment was delivered in 7-10 days. All patients received long-term androgen deprivation therapy (79% medical and 21% surgical).

RESULTS

Most patients (65%) had a Gleason score ≥ 8. The median prostate-specific antigen was 42. Twenty patients were high risk (30%), 11 (16%) very high risk and 37 (54%) node positive. No acute Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade ≥ 3 genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity was noted. Acute grade 2 genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity were 12% and 3%, respectively. Late grade 3 genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity was 3% and 0%, respectively. There was no increase in acute or late gastrointestinal toxicity with prophylactic pelvic nodal radiotherapy. Prior transurethral resection of prostate (n = 11) did not increase toxicity. At a median follow-up of 18 months, 97% patients were alive and 94% were biochemically controlled.

CONCLUSION

SBRT is safe in the treatment of high-risk, very high-risk and node-positive prostate cancer, even with prophylactic pelvic radiotherapy or prior transurethral resection of prostate. Longer follow-up is required to determine efficacy.

Normal lung sparing Tomotherapy technique in stage III lung cancer

PURPOSE

Radiation pneumonitis (RP) has been a challenging obstacle in treating stage III lung cancer patients. Beam angle optimization (BAO) technique for Tomotherapy was developed to reduce the normal lung dose for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Comparative analyses on plan quality by 3 different Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) methods with BAO were done.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten consecutive stage IIIB NSCLC patients receiving linac-based static IMRT (L-IMRT) with total 66 Gy in 33 fractions to the PTV were selected. Two additional Tomotherapy-based IMRT plans (helical beam (TH-IMRT) and static beam (TD-IMRT)) were generated on each patient. To reduce the normal lung dose, Beam angles were optimized by using complete and directional block functions in Tomotherapy based on knowledge based statistical analysis. Plan quality was compared with target coverage, normal organ sparing capability, and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Actual beam delivery times and risk of RP related with planning target volume (PTV) were also evaluated.

RESULTS

The best PTV coverage measured by conformity index and homogeneity index was achievable by TH-IMRT (0.82 and 1.06), followed by TD-IMRT (0.81 and 1.07) and L-IMRT (0.75 and 1.08). Mean lung dose was the lowest in TH-IMRT plan followed by TD-IMRT and L-IMRT, all of which were ≤20 Gy. TH-IMRT plan could significantly lower the lung volumes receiving low to medium dose levels: V5~30 when compared to L-IMRT plan; and V5~20 when compared to TD-IMRT plan, respectively. TD-IMRT plan was significantly better than L-IMRT with respects to V20 and V30 and there was no significant difference with respect to V40 among three plans. The NTCP of the lung was the lowest in TH-IMRT plan, followed by TD-IMRT and L-IMRT (6.42% vs. 6.53% vs. 8.11%). Beam delivery time was the shortest in TD-IMRT plan followed by L-IMRT. As PTV length increased, NTCP and Mean lung dose proportionally increased significantly in all three plans.

CONCLUSION

Advantageous profiles by TH-IMRT could be achieved by BAO by complete and directional block functions. Current observation could help radiation oncologists to make wise selection of IMRT method for stage IIIB NSCLC.

Incidental Dose to Pelvic Nodal Regions in Prostate-Only Radiotherapy

OBJECTIVES

Pelvic lymph nodal regions receive an incidental dose from conformal treatment of the prostate. This study was conducted to investigate the doses received by the different pelvic nodal regions with varying techniques used for prostate radiotherapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Twenty patients of high-risk node-negative prostate cancer treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy to the prostate alone were studied. Replanning was done for intensity-modulated radiotherapy, 3-dimensional conformal treatment, and 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy with additional delineation of the pelvic nodal regions, namely, common iliac (upper and lower), presacral, internal iliac, obturator, and external iliac. Dose-volume parameters such as Dmean, D100%, D66%, D33%, V40, and V50 to each of the nodal regions were estimated for all patients.

RESULTS

The obturator nodes received the highest dose among all nodal regions. The mean dose received by obturator nodal region was 44, 29, and 22 Gy from 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy, 3-dimensional conformal treatment, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy, respectively. The mean dose was significantly higher when compared between 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy and 3-dimensional conformal treatment ( P < .001), 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy ( P < .001), and 3-dimensional conformal treatment and intensity-modulated radiotherapy ( P < .001). The D33% of the obturator region was 64, 39, and 37 Gy from 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy, 3-dimensional conformal treatment, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy, respectively. The dose received by all other pelvic nodal regions was low and not clinically relevant.

CONCLUSION

The incidental dose received by obturator regions is significant especially with 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy and 3-dimensional conformal treatment techniques as used in the trials studying elective pelvic nodal irradiation. However, with intensity-modulated radiotherapy, this dose is lower, making elective pelvic irradiation more relevant. Advances in Knowledge: This study highlights that incidental dose received by obturator regions is significant especially with 2-dimensional conventional radiotherapy and 3-dimensional conformal treatment techniques.

Target margins in radiotherapy of prostate cancer

We reviewed the literature on the use of margins in radiotherapy of patients with prostate cancer, focusing on different options for image guidance (IG) and technical issues. The search in PubMed database was limited to include studies that involved external beam radiotherapy of the intact prostate. Post-prostatectomy studies, brachytherapy and particle therapy were excluded. Each article was characterized according to the IG strategy used: positioning on external marks using room lasers, bone anatomy and soft tissue match, usage of fiducial markers, electromagnetic tracking and adapted delivery. A lack of uniformity in margin selection among institutions was evident from the review. In general, introduction of pre- and in-treatment IG was associated with smaller planning target volume (PTV) margins, but there was a lack of definitive experimental/clinical studies providing robust information on selection of exact PTV values. In addition, there is a lack of comparative research regarding the cost-benefit ratio of the different strategies: insertion of fiducial markers or electromagnetic transponders facilitates prostate gland localization but at a price of invasive procedure; frequent pre-treatment imaging increases patient in-room time, dose and labour; online plan adaptation should improve radiation delivery accuracy but requires fast and precise computation. Finally, optimal protocols for quality assurance procedures need to be established.